


Kiss Him!

by tehfanglyfish



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Isn't Sure About Dragons, But He's Certain About Merlin, Canon Era, Deviates From Canon, Dragonlord Merlin (Merlin), First Kiss, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Kilgharrah Helps Destiny Along, M/M, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:47:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22283590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish
Summary: After being abducted by an infuriating dragon, Arthur finds Merlin unresponsive, suffering ill-effects from a sorcerer's attack. According to the dragon, there's only way for Arthur to save him.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 59
Kudos: 957
Collections: The Merlin/Arthur Kiss Fest 2019





	Kiss Him!

**Author's Note:**

> Yay more Kiss Fest!!! This fest really is the very best thing ever.
> 
> This is my winter entry after another winter WIP decided to be uncooperative. Maybe it will like me better during amnesty week.
> 
> As always, I do not own this franchise or these characters. Written for the love of Camelot and its amazing fandom, never for the monies.

Six days! Almost a week. Not quite a quarter of a month.

That’s how long it had been since Arthur had last seen Merlin and it felt like an eternity.

Yes, Merlin disappeared on occasion, but never for this long. Of course the king respected his servant’s need for time off, but it would have been nice if Merlin had told him before disappearing. That way Arthur could have tagged along.

To make matters worse Gaius refused to tell him where Merlin had gone. There were some rather vague mutterings about tavern adventures and herbs that needed collecting and something about delivering a remedy.

Lies all of it!

According to Gwaine, Merlin hadn’t darkened the door of the Rising Sun in at least three months. It was too late in the winter for any herbs to be growing, and as for the remedy, Gaius couldn’t seem to recall exactly where the patient lived or even the general direction of their house.

Arthur trusted Gaius’s promise that Merlin would return, but he really wished the old man would tell him the truth.

Though Arthur wouldn’t admit it aloud, he was beginning to worry. It had been snowing for the four days, a thick blanket shrouding the landscape. Merlin, wherever he was, might be in danger, stuck in the snow and unable to return.

Gaius tried to assure the king that everything was all right, but Arthur was half-tempted to go out on his own searching for Merlin. The only thing stopping him was the fact that he had no idea which direction to follow.

Instead, he found himself pacing the ramparts, holding on to desperate, foolish hope that he might catch sight of Merlin emerging from the trees as he returned home. Not that there was any chance of that happening. Merlin could have been standing three feet in front of him and Arthur wouldn’t have been able to see him, not with how hard the snow was blowing.

Maybe that was why Arthur didn’t notice the dragon until it was too late.

The creature approached from behind. A strong gust of wind almost blew Arthur over before sharp talons delicately lifted him from the castle wall. He could hear the flap of wings over the howl of the blizzard. As they rose higher, Arthur wished he’d worn a better cloak – the air was biting.

As the dragon soared over his kingdom, Arthur fought the urge to attack it. If it dropped him, he’d surely plummet to his death. Whatever it had in store for him, it seemed to have no intention of killing him yet. Arthur could attempt an escape when his feet were safely on the ground.

After what felt like an eternity, the dragon began its descent, soaring into a narrow opening in the side of a rockface.

More gently than Arthur expected, it lowered him to the floor of the cavern where a campfire burned nearby.

Arthur considered his options. The beast was huge and blocking the entrance to the cave but maybe if he…

“I apologize for the abduction, young Pendragon, but your presence was necessary and there was no time to explain.”

“Necessary for what?”

“Destiny,” the dragon replied.

It soon became clear that no further explanation was forthcoming.

“What does that mean?”

“That you can no longer run from your fate.”

Arthur knew little about dragons. Perhaps they enjoyed annoying their prey before they attacked.

“If you’re going to eat me, can you just get it over with?”

The dragon began to laugh. Arthur remembered the breathing exercises that Merlin had taught him and counted to ten.

“I have no intention of harming you. I need your help.”

Why did these kinds of things always happen to Arthur? He could try to fight the creature, but he didn’t even have a sword. Maybe if he did what it wanted, it would let him go.

“I won’t do anything that will harm Camelot.”

“And I wouldn’t ask you to. What you must do will lead to the dawn of a golden age for your realm. It will require considerable courage on your part, but the rewards will be immense both for the kingdom and for you personally.”

“What must I do?”

“Help him.”

Following the dragon’s gaze, Arthur caught sight of a figure lying beside the fire. Somehow he knew who it was even before he peeled back the layers of blankets.

“Merlin!”

He was unconscious, skin freezing to the touch. Even with the fire and the blankets, his teeth were chattering.

“What happened to him?”

“He was hit by a curse while fighting a sorcerer.”

“But Merlin can’t even wield a sword.”

“And yet he possesses power that you can’t possibly imagine, which he has used countless times to protect you and your kingdom.”

“What power?”

“Magic.”

As the dragon spoke, a violent tremor shook Merlin’s body. Arthur could worry about the magic later. All that mattered was saving Merlin.

“Tell me how to help him.”

“Kiss him.”

“Kiss him? What good will that do?”

“The sorcerer hit him with a curse that can only be broken by a kiss from the one who holds his heart.”

“Then why did you bring me?”

The dragon laughed again.

“You cannot run from destiny, neither you nor Merlin. So stop asking foolish questions and kiss him!”

Merlin’s body shuddered again. Arthur didn’t trust the dragon, but if there was even the slightest chance that it would work…

For years Arthur had dreamed of kissing Merlin, but never like this, body unresponsive and lips icy. Maybe he was too late. Maybe Merlin didn’t really love him. Maybe the dragon was lying.

Or maybe Merlin was kissing him back, warmth returning as he pulled Arthur close, hugging him so tightly that it hurt. Not that Arthur was complaining. Merlin could squeeze him within an inch of his life and he wouldn’t care. All that mattered was that Merlin was alive and well and, if what the dragon said was true, in love with him.

“That should suffice,” the dragon said after a few minutes had passed.

Arthur ignored it, as did Merlin.

“There are,” the dragon continued, “matters that need to be discussed.”

Not right now, there aren’t, thought Arthur.

“It’s just,” the dragon began again after another considerable pause, “that in order to bring about a united Albion and Camelot’s golden age…”

“Kilgharrah, shut up. And stop watching. It’s creepy.”

“In all my many years, never once has a dragonlord told me to ‘shut up.’ But if you insist…”

“I really do.”

The dragon sulked off deeper into the cavern, muttering to itself about coins and fate and prophecy.

“Now,” Merlin said, “where were we?”

“Fulfilling destiny, apparently. Oh, and I was saving you. Of course, now that you’re better, maybe we should…”

“About that – I’m not sure that I am. Better, I mean. The curse that hit me was very powerful and there could be lingering effects. It might be for the best if you, um, keep saving me.”

“Gladly. Although the dragon did mention something about you saving me.”

Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. Merlin tried to slide out of his arms, but Arthur held firm.

“What I’m trying to say,” Arthur said, giving his best effort at a reassuring smile, “is thank you. Not just for saving me from threats, but also from a life of loneliness. So now, maybe you could keep saving me as well.”

“Always,” Merlin whispered before pulling Arthur into another kiss.

It would be a long while before anything else was said. Somewhere in the distance a dragon huffed and sighed, but they paid it no mind. There were far more important matters that needed tending to.


End file.
